Provided is a radiation imaging apparatus, including: a plurality of pixels configured to output image signals corresponding to radiation; an image signal line configured to output the image signals; and a detection signal line configured to output a detection signal for detection of irradiation of the radiation, in which at least one of the plurality of pixels includes: a conversion element configured to convert the radiation into charge; a first switch configured to output the image signal corresponding to the charge via the image signal line; a storage capacitor including a first electrode and a second electrode, in which the first electrode is electrically connected to the conversion element to store the charge; and a second switch configured to electrically connect the second electrode and the detection signal line.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A radiation imaging apparatus, comprising: a plurality of pixels configured to output image signals corresponding to radiation; an image signal line configured to output the image signals; and a detection signal line configured to output a detection signal for detection of irradiation of the radiation, wherein at least one of the plurality of pixels comprises: a conversion element configured to convert the radiation into charge; a first switch configured to output the image signal corresponding to the charge via the image signal line; a storage capacitor including a first electrode and a second electrode, in which the first electrode is electrically connected to the conversion element to store the charge; and a second switch configured to electrically connect the second electrode and the detection signal line.
2. A radiation imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein another pixel different from the at least one of the plurality of pixels includes the conversion element and the first switch.
3. A radiation imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of pixels are arranged in matrix, and the detection signal line is provided separately from the image signal line, wherein the first switches of pixels arranged in one column of the plurality of pixels are electrically connected in common to the image signal line, and wherein the second switches of the pixels arranged in the one column are electrically connected in common to the detection signal line.
4. A radiation imaging apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising: a first readout unit configured to read out signals from the detection signal line; and a second readout unit configured to read out signals from the image signal line.
5. A radiation imaging apparatus according to claim 4 , further comprising: a first drive line connected in common to the first switches of pixels arranged in one row of the plurality of pixels; a second drive line connected in common to the second switches of the pixels arranged in the one row; a first drive unit electrically connected to the first drive line; and a second drive unit electrically connected to the second drive line.
6. A radiation imaging apparatus according to claim 5 , further comprising a control unit configured to control the first drive unit, the second drive unit, the first readout unit, and the second readout unit.
7. A radiation imaging apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the control unit is configured to control the first drive unit, the second drive unit, and the second readout unit so that the second readout unit reads out the signals from the image signal line in a state in which at least a part of a conduction period of the second switch overlaps a conduction period of the first switch.
8. A radiation imaging apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the control unit is configured to control the second drive unit and the first readout unit so that the first readout unit resets a potential of the detection signal line, then reads out a first signal from the detection signal line in a non-conductive state of the second switch, and then reads out a second signal from the detection signal line in a conductive state of the second switch.
9. A radiation imaging apparatus according to claim 8 , further comprising a signal processing unit configured to compute a difference between a signal based on the first signal and a signal based on the second signal.
10. A radiation imaging apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the control unit is configured to control the second drive unit and the first readout unit so that the first readout unit resets a potential of the detection signal line, then reads out a first signal from the detection signal line in a non-conductive state of the second switch, then reads out a second signal from the detection signal line in the non-conductive state of the second switch, then resets the potential of the detection signal line, then reads out a third signal from the detection signal line in the non-conductive state of the second switch, and then reads out a fourth signal from the detection signal line in the conductive state of the second switch.
11. A radiation imaging apparatus according to claim 10 , further comprising a signal processing unit configured to compute a difference between a signal based on the first signal and a signal based on the second signal as a fifth signal, compute a difference between a signal based on the third signal and a signal based on the fourth signal as a sixth signal, and compute a difference between the fifth signal and the sixth signal.
12. A radiation imaging system, comprising: the radiation imaging apparatus of claim 1 ; and a radiation source configured to irradiate radiation.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
March 17, 2016
September 4, 2018
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